Bud Light CSR bows to pressure and takes a step back

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Bud Light vice president of marketing Alissa Heinerscheid has taken a leave of absence from her position and will be replaced by Budweiser global vice president Todd Allen. This was reported by Ad Age last Friday, April 21 , after a controversy that strongly tested Bud Light's CSR and that would allegedly cause the brand to take a step back in its commitment to inclusion.



North American media report that the reason for Heinerscheid's license could have been the intolerant reactions of far-right groups, regarding the company's links to Dylan Mulvaney, a social media star and trans woman; after she, along with other celebrities, received a can of beer with her face on it and publicly thanked her for the detail.





As a result, Heinerscheid was the target of the ire of conservative and transphobic trolls, who called for a boycott of the brand for working with the influencer and Broadway actress, best known for her TikTok series "Days of Girlhood."



In an interview with the Make Yourself At Home podcast a few days earlier, the still vice president said that she wanted the beer brand to go beyond its "frat-boy" reputation and participate in building a more inclusive world.



I have to prioritize bringing other people along for the ride. Community and women, it doesn't mean anything unless you're positively impacting other people, so that's been incredibly important to me.



He described Bud Light as a brand associated with brotherly, somewhat disconnected humor and noted the importance that taking a different approach would have for the brand . Otherwise, he said, "there would be no future for Bud Light."



Dylan Mulvaney's post, showing off the custom beer can for March Madness, hit Instagran on April 1. Since then, both Bud Light and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABInBev), have been at the center of a storm of intolerance.



Intolerant and incapable of accepting a Middle East Mobile Number List trans woman promoting a beer brand, anti-rights groups and public figures have thrown public tantrums, such as musician and Trump supporter Kid Rock, who recorded himself unloading an assault weapon magazine in boxes of Bud Light cans.



Budweiser facilities across the US have been the target of bomb threats and a viral TikTok video on Tuesday (April 18) showed a man violently destroying shelves of beer at a Walmart in Topeka, Kansas. He has been identified as Dustin Cain.





These actions, of course, highlight the intolerance and violence that exists against the trans community not only within the United States, but throughout the world. They are condemnable and extremely worrying.



This was also considered by the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, who at a press conference on April 20 condemned the violent reaction, saying: "When a transgender American publishes a video about a brand of beer that he enjoys and that leads to bomb threats, it is clear that the level of violence and hate against transgender Americans must stop."



Dylan Mulvaney, who has 1.8 million followers on Instagram and 10.8 million followers on TikTok, has also faced a wave of hate for his association with Nike, as bigots went into crisis again over a paid post from the influencer wearing Nike Women leggings and a sports bra.



Despite various right-wing groups calling for a boycott of the brand, Anheuser-Busch InBev's (ABInBev) share prices have reached record levels.



It's worth noting that Bud Light had been a sponsor of Canadian Pride for over 20 years, so the lack of a strong reaction to defend LGBT+ rights and condemn violence is striking as what could be a clear step backwards. in its commitment to inclusion.